FRIENDS OF DURRAS P.O. Box 174, Batemans Bay, NSW 2536 www.friendsofdurras.org 11 November 2008

Clarion Call The Friends of Durras Newsletter

November 08 Newsletter

1 ­ Marine Park Issues

Protected fish stage a comeback Dramatic evidence that protected fish populations can bounce back rapidly from the impact of years of heavy fishing has been obtained by a team of marine scientists working on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

A spectacular recovery in coral trout numbers on unfished reefs has been reported by researchers following imposition of a strict no­fishing policy across 33 per cent of the total GBR area in 2004, to form the world's largest no­take reserves.

A team led by Professor Garry Russ of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University, Dr Hugh Sweatman of the Australian Institute of Marine Science and supported by the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), has found coral trout numbers rebounded by 31­75 per cent on a majority of reefs which has been closed to fishing for a little as 1.5 to 2 years.

Closing reefs to fishing is controversial, both politically and socially, and there has been huge public interest in the outcome. This makes accurate assessment of the effects of closure essential.

In time, they say, the higher fish populations on closed reefs may lead to improvements in fish numbers on open reefs, as juveniles from closed areas settle on open ones.

"The results are certainly convincing, because we surveyed such a huge area ­ 56 reefs spread over more than 1000 kilometres from north of Cairns to the Capricorn­Bunker islands in the south," Dr Peter Doherty, Research Director of AIMS, says

"The data from these reefs was remarkably consistent ­ and we were pleasantly surprised to observe such rapid improvements in fish densities. Though it is early days, it certainly looks as if the no­take reserves are working as hoped".

Batemans Marine Park welcomes survey results (Bay Post 13­8­2008) The Manager of the Batemans Marine Park has welcomed the results of the survey which has shown good support for the marine park amongst visitors to Batemans Bay.

Dr Brendan Kelaher said the survey was an indication the marine park was having a positive impact on tourism. He said the park had a vital role to play in attracting holiday makers to the area.

" The Batemans Marine Park extends from the northern end of Murramarang beach near Bawley Point to Wallaga Lake in the South. The multi use zoning allows for scuba diving, whale watching, fishing, swimming, surfing and boating in most areas of the park" he said.

"To have so many visitors to Batemans Bay not only aware of the park, which was gazetted last year, but supportive of our goals to ensure biodiversity for future generations is fantastic"

"The survey conducted by the Nielson Company on behalf of Eurobodalla Shire Tourism and Tourism Australia earlier this year, revealed 69 per cent of all visitors and 75 per cent of all first time visitors either supported, or saw some value in the Batemans Marine Park. Only two per cent of those people surveyed were against the park"

"Our conservation ethos includes recreational activities and tourism opportunities"

"We are looking forward to beginning a monitoring program on the health of seagrass in many of the marine parks estuaries over the summer months"

Mr Kelaher said he was constantly amazed at the high diversity of marine life within the park and said public awareness and support for the park would continue to grow.

South Coast fishing on fire Another validation of the success of the Batemans Marine Park are the fishing reports in the South Coast regional newspapers. One report written by the respected fishing writer Rob Paxevanos in the Bay Post (24­10­08) describes the South Coast fishing opportunities as "on fire". Drop everything and grab your fishing tackle he says!

2 ­ Landcare work adjacent to Lakesea Caravan Park

South Durras was most fortunate to have a team of Landcare volunteers undertaking important conservation work in the reserves adjacent to Lakesea Caravan Park during July. There was generous support from Lakesea Caravan Park when these volunteers were able to be accommodated free of charge. Friends of Durras and South Durras Landcare volunteers worked side by side with this group, which enabled an all out assault on exotic weeds species like Madeira vine and Coastal Morning Glory.

This week long work effort has made an enormous difference to the environmental integrity of these reserves.

For validation of this work, the Friends of Durras received an email from a kayaker on Durras Lake at the time. Here are this person’s comments. "I had a look the other day from Durras Lake, there is now a huge improvement (in the reserve) and a credit to all involved. I for one, a user of the lake for a while now, am very appreciative of the effort involved and with an understanding of what the job entails, very impressed. Good job!"

The Friends of Durras would especially like to thank Danie Ondinea for organising this group of Landcare volunteers to undertake this bush regeneration work.

3 ­ Tree Poisoning adjacent to the Cookies Beach picnic area

A brief history …

In late 2005 the trees along the southern border of the Cookies Beach picnic area were poisoned. It was not possible for Eurobodalla Shire Council to identify the perpetrator(s), but householders who might potentially have benefited (by gaining an improved ocean view) from the removal of these trees were sent letters by Council informing them in general terms of the illegality of this behaviour. (It is one of the unfortunate consequences of this selfish act that innocent people along with the guilty receive such letters.)

Over the last few years the trees have died off completely, and are now gradually being pushed over by hand or using 4­wheel drive or other vehicles. Some of the timber has been removed – most probably for domestic firewood. Timber removal may be opportunistic, and not necessarily the act of those responsible for the initial tree poisoning. On the other hand, those responsible for the poisoning may be stealing the timber as well.

Vandals are now lighting fires (using the timber so thoughtfully provided by the poisoner) around and under the

fallen trees.

At last count there were two sizable 'bonfire' pits. The people responsible deliberately set these fires to burn groups of fallen tree trunks lengthwise. Since first contacting the Council Environmental Manager to report these fires, we've learned that at least one of these bonfires was left alight after alcohol­fuelled partying (non­Durras residents), and that a passing Durras householder had to extinguish it with sand and sea water ­ thank you Marie!

Current status The results of the tree poisoning are obvious ­ the perpetrator(s) have effectively destroyed the quiet, intimate, beautiful environment that many people have enjoyed over the years.

But in addition to this, the ‘bonfires’ enabled by this poisoning now pose a real and immediate threat to life and property during the coming long, hot, dry summer.

If bonfires (such as those to date) were to be lit and then abandoned with easterly or south easterly winds blowing, South Durras village could be threatened by a bush fire. With a north easterly wind blowing, Ecopoint Resort ­ with its closely packed cabins full of holidaymakers ­ would be in danger. Not to be alarmist, but there is clear potential for tragedy. Friends of Durras has advised Council that:

• urgent action is needed to remove fire hazards from the Cookies Beach picnic area; but

• we will not accept that an individual has been able to get away with poisoning trees in a public reserve, not least because this creates a precedent for others seeking to ‘improve’ their personal ocean view; and

• in line with resolutions passed at the last Friends of Durras general meetings, our goal is to work with Council to see the area fully restored through replanting, beginning in Autumn 2009, with Council taking whatever measures are necessary to protect replacement trees during the early growth stage (e.g. use of screens, signs, and possibly hidden cameras).

We have been promised a quick response from the Council Environmental Manager ­ and we'll be keeping up the pressure to get one. As they say ­ WATCH THIS SPACE!

If you see any inappropriate action in relation to the trees in the Cookies Beach picnic area ­ or anywhere else ­ please call the Eurobodalla Shire Council Rangers' Office immediately, with as much information to help identify the wrongdoer(s) as possible. The number is 4474 1000 If you would like to help out on this issue, or would like more information, contact Friends of Durras.

4 ­ Draft Fire Management Strategy for Murramarang National Park

Draft strategies for fire management within Murramarang and Meroo National Parks have been compiled by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

This strategy identifies the asset protection and biodiversity commitments to be undertaken by the NPWS within the reserves over the next five years.

The reserves are subdivided into management zones that focus on Asset Protection, the provision of Strategic Advantages for fire fighters, and Heritage management to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of our cultural heritage values.

5 ­ NPWS dumpsite clean up

A considerable area of forest that is now part of Murramarang National Park was formerly State Forest managed by Forests NSW.

One such area, is a parcel of land at the very northern tip of Murramarang National Park, an area of about 300 hectares. Due to persistent lobbying by the Friends of Durras this land was added to Murramarang National Park in 2005. There is significant old growth and warm temperate rainforest located in this area.

NPWS unfortunately inherited a significant soil dumpsite with this land addition. The cleanup cost that occurred recently is considerable, in the order of about $15,000. This is because there was a couple of hundred tonnes of contaminated soil. This former dump site is now weed free, give the area 12 months and it will look great. The Friends of Durras are enormously appreciative of the Parks service in attending to this problem.

6 ­ Soil Dumping in Murramarang National Park

Truck loads of soil were dumped in a number of areas of Murramarang National Park by employees of Eurobodalla Shire Council recently. This soil had come from roads works along the Durras road. There was not any sediment control installed at these dumpsites sites. The Friends of Durras wrote and emailed on this issue to Eurobodalla Shire Council and the NPWS. As a result, Eurobodalla Shire Council has undertaken a review of their processes to avoid a recurrence of this incident. They have agreed to monitor these sites for a period of three years.

7 ­ Murramarang National Park road works.

Road grading and improvements was undertaken by Parks staff recently along the Old Coast road and some side tracks to the remote beaches. This important work will assist vehicle access to this spectacular part of the Murramarang coastline.

8 ­ Powerline easements in Murramarang National Park

Friends of Durras have been monitoring the powerline easements and documenting the deterioration of these areas over sometime. Gullying type of erosion is worsening, exacerbated by trail bike activity. Significant environmental restoration work undertaken by Country Energy (lobbied for by FOD) has been undermined by trail bike activity adjacent to the work. We are now lobbying Country Energy for fencing and gating of these areas.

Recently an onsite meeting occurred between Friends of Durras committee members and representatives of Country Energy near Skid Ridge road. As a result of this meeting, considerable rehabilitation work will be undertaken to minimise soil erosion in this area shortly. We as the Friends of Durras believe, that for this type of important soil conservation work to be enduring, it is vital that powerline easements should be fenced and gated and access to given for authorized vehicles only.

Another benefit of having the powerline easements fenced and gated is to minimise the occurrence of illegal dumping in this area. By coincidence, on the day of the onsite meeting at Skid Ridge, it was discovered another dumped burnt out vehicle at this location. This vehicle was most likely stolen. This is the fourth dumped vehicle in this general area over the past years.

9 ­ On the trail of the "oil changer'

Most of us value our National Parks for the protecting biodiversity, catchment protection, for recreation, bushwalking and fishing. Unfortunately there is another value to someone visiting Murramarang National Park, an opportunity to change the oil for their vehicle, leaving the discarded old oil, oil filter and empty oil container in the bush. With the assistance of the Regional Illegal Dumping Squad Investigative Officer, enquiries have been made over this thoughtless dumping; hopefully there will be success in tracking down the culprit.

Another South Durras resident has been apprehended and fined for a substantial dumping in Murramarang National Park after inadvertently leaving banking details amongst the discarded rubbish. Well done to the RID Squad!

10 ­ Sea Acres land on the southern boundary of Murramarang National Park

Members of the Friends of Durras committee travelled to Canberra recently to meet with one of the co­owners of the Sea Acres property. Concerns were raised about unauthorised vehicles entering the Sea Acres property then entering closed off areas of Murramarang National Park. As a result of these vehicle intrusions, trees have been felled in Murramarang National Park for firewood. The owners of the Sea Acres property are sympathetic to having the boundaries of their land fenced and gated to prevent this vandalism continuing. Members of the Friends of Durras committee have impressed on the Sea Acres property owners our continual opposition for primary access, for this proposed development to come from the north, through Murramarang National Park.

11 ­ The Judges Land

Letters have been written by the Friends of Durras to the NSW State Government concerning the 40 hectare beach front block of land at the southern end of Murramarang National Park. In correspondence from the NPWS to FOD, this department has been granted Ministerial approval for the transfer of this land to Murramarang National Park.

The Friends of Durras are of the opinion that some considerable thought is required as to what this land may be used for once it is incorporated into the Park. There are a number of buildings including a house on this site. These buildings operate on solar power. The Friends of Durras believe that this site would make an ideal live in Rangers residence, or a site for the Batemans Marine Park staff to operate from. Another option would be a Science Research Centre, perhaps managed by a University.

We would welcome suggestions from FOD members on this issue.

12 ­ Sea Spurge along the Murramarang coastline

Sea Spurge is becoming a weed of major concern in southern Australia, and is causing alarm in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. It has the capacity to cover entire beaches within a period of a few years.

An all day meeting was held in South Durras recently to discuss this problem weed. Various Government Agencies and Conservation groups attended this meeting. It was particularly

useful to be able to exchange information at this get together on the most effective ways of dealing with the spread of Sea Spurge.

Part of reason for this meeting was to put together a plan to apply for $250,000 in funding from Community Coastcare to enable more effective work in controlling the spread of this weed along the NSW South Coast. The northern most area identified with Sea Spurge now is Shoalhaven Heads.

Continual efforts have been undertaken by the Friends of Durras to keep on top of the Sea Spurge problem along the coastline of Murramarang National Park. This work is starting to pay off. Follow up chemical spraying on Richmond beach has resulted in one of the worst infestations of Sea Spurge being now very manageable to just follow up hand pulling at this location.

Vigilance is still required on this problem weed, so for those trips along the Murramarang coastline, pack the gloves and pull any identifiable Sea Spurge out. This will make an enormous difference to controlling this problem weed.

13 ­ Rare Plant found along the Durras Lake Shoreline

The rare plant Haloragis exalta has been discovered growing adjacent to Durras Lake. This plant is listed as vulnerable under both National and New South Wales threatened conservation legislation.

Ecologically this plant appears to function as a gap species whose populations are almost invariably found at sites where disturbance through temporary inundation, physical disturbance, or fire, has exposed bare earth with higher levels of light at ground level than would be present when the local vegetation community is intact.

The Friends of Durras has written to a number of Agencies regarding this rare plant to raise awareness of this plant and to minimise impacts in the future.

14 ­ Shorebirds

The resident South Durras Pied Oystercatchers got off to a good start in September with an early nesting north of Lakesea Caravan Park This nest yielded 3 eggs. The first time ever. The site was fenced off and sign posted. Unfortunately a week later, all three eggs were taken by a Fox. These Pied Oystercatchers may nest again. Fox control work is now being undertaken in this area. Just a few days ago a juvenile male Fox was caught in a trap. Monitoring will continue in this area for Foxes.

Hooded Plovers on occasions known to nest north of Lakesea Caravan Park may be upgraded from an endangered listing to critically endangered. It is the opinion of the NSW Scientific committee that the Hooded Plover is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in NSW, in the immediate future.

15 ­ Caulerpa Taxifolia in Durras Lake

The Friends of Durras have written to the NSW Department of Primary Industries concerning commercial fish trapping in Durras lake and the risk that this activity may spread the Caulerpa weed.

We have been informed by NSW DPI that recreational and commercial fish trapping is assessed as being of low risk and therefore not included in Caulerpa closures.

Caulerpa is extremely difficult to eradicate once established in the wild. Extensive research by NSW DPI of various control techniques identified salting, in which several tonnes of pool

salt is dumped on Caulerpa, as the most suitable method for eradication and control work. However salting control work is not always feasible and is assessed on a case by case basis. DPI has advised that there are no current plans to eradicate Caulerpa from Durras Lake. Due to the sparse nature of the infestation and the large area affected, the co­existence with native seagrasses and inaccessible shallow water depth, there is little, if any scope to undertake salting control work at this location.

16 ­ New viewing platform adjacent to Cookies beach

Over the past few weeks members of Durras Progress Association, Landcare, Green Corps and Eurobodalla Shire Council have built an ocean viewing platform to the immediate south of the Cookies Beach picnic area (roughly in front of the toilet block), as well as a pathway alongside leading down to the beach. There has also been extensive revegetation of the dune area disrupted in the course of this activity.

A large number of visitors use the ocean boat ramp to get onto Cookies Beach, and with increasing, unregulated and sometimes irresponsible vehicle traffic in this area there were thought to be potential safety hazards to pedestrians. This new pathway is intended to reduce the danger of accident by providing an alternative beach access point.

As you can see from the photograph, the platform itself is simple but effective in design, is very professional in construction, and provides a beautiful view out to sea.

The Friends of Durras committee would like to wish all members a most enjoyable Spring and Summer in the Durras, Murramarang area.

Best wishes and have a Merry Christmas!